By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Ministry of Information and Communications played host to the Ministry of Tertiary and Higher Education, Cabinet Secretariat, Public Service Commission, and Human Resource Management Office at the Ministry of Information and Communications Conference hall, Youyi Building in Freetown on the 26th April, 2022 to signed a Communiqué in the light of the recent developments relating to unaccredited universities conferring fake degrees and awarding fake Certificates and Diplomas in Sierra Leone.
Contrary to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Act 2001 to restore academic integrity and address public concerns towards this cause.
The Minister of Technical and Higher Education Dr. Alpha Tejan Wurie in his Address said this is a public concern and as a Ministry together with its partners are ready to take a decisive action that will affect everyone who is found guilty of fake certificates and degree holders. He said as a government it pry into capital development as this country must protect its Academic Integrity and the Educational Landscape as well as the government has invested both primary and Secondary Education for all children to get Free and Quality School Education.
A Joint Communiqué Agreement between Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, TEC, HRMO, PSC and Cabinet Secretariat.
In the communiqué signed all degrees obtained from Yea Dominion University and all Institutions which are not accredited by TEC are null and void and should not be considered for employment purposes. And that the TEC, PSC, HRMO, parliamentary committee on appointment, all public and private Universities must conduct a system of academic audit.
All those given academic titles like ‘Dr’ that is not academically proven should drop the title henceforth and a cleanup process starts in these academic institutions immediately.
He said one of the qualities they as a government set in order for the Free and Quality School Education to run smoothly was put a cap between people that cheat in exams as he said that this was a collaborative efforts between the Parents, Teachers, and WAECE and the students in these examination malpractice.
He further more stated that as a government they have made stringent efforts in putting a stop to this Malpractice and have seen tremendous progress so far and that if we talk about human capital development the tertiary education plays a great role towards this and therefore that sector has to be thoroughly cleaned.
Dr. Alpha Tejan Wurie said as such Dominion has Catalyzed this action, as this is a cause for them to revisit the system for the country to maintain its integrity towards Capital Human Development it must take stringent line of action.
He went on that the Relevant Mandate of the Ministry is to have an oversight of Tertiary, Technical and Vocational Education, Effective Service Delivery, and to collaborate with the tertiary education, NCTVA, Science and Technology council, MBSSE, and Council of Principals of Technical Vocational Education.
Dr. Alpha Tejan Wurie continued that Dominion University was evaluated to be a Grade C institution. A Grade C institution according to the Minister is one that awards Certificates and Diplomas only, therefore award of Degree and Honorary Scourer’s out of Mandate.
In the same vein he said the African Graduate University has a longer history compared to Ye Dominion University. In 2013 he said there was a press statement done by Jara Kawusu Conteh in which he said that the then president Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma expressed delight over the update of the activities of African Graduate University, saying that the Government can only be successful it has a Professional Civil Service. He said the Former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma was unaware that the African Graduate University based in Kampala Uganda was and is a non-accredited University. He also said there are other affiliations and accredited Colleges; he made an example of an accreditation service for international service which the African Graduate University presented as their rights to establish.
He concluded and said as an institution the Yea Dominion University is an eye opener against the fight of fake degrees, certificates, diplomas, PhD, and honorary doctorate holders and as such Academic integrity and Human capital development must be maintained.
